Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Speaking of this, Commander Xia started laughing. Tanned like Africans... That was a funny metaphor, but it was an appropriate one.
Ever since Ye Jian said that, even the students from No.16 Middle School started to use it too.
It happened to be one of the hottest days, and some of the students had sunburn. However, even so, our classmates didn’t give up and persisted.”
Xia Jinyuan, who was sitting in front, looked back via the rearview mirror from time to time and saw that although Ye Jian was nervous, her gaze was not timid. His smile became wider and he interrupted, “Back then when I was in military training for a whole month in summer, our Commander Xia suspected that I didn’t participate in it when I returned home.”
“He doesn’t get tanned, and the other classmates who went with him were tanned. Besides the redness around his neck, he was still white and clean.” Commander Xia’s laughter made the atmosphere in the car feel relaxed and pleasant.
Despite this, Ye Jian felt tense, and was unable to relax. For someone like Commander Xia who had that much influence and authority, it was impossible that he was just talking to her nicely.
Intuition told her that a big move was incoming.
Sure enough, Commander Xia started to test Ye Jian. “This military training for the students is the first of its kind in the Southern Province, but it’s not quite true. We had it in the past. Do you know when this all started? Did you look into it?”
As long as it wasn’t personal, Ye Jian didn’t feel a sense of guilt. Moreover, she was already prepared to answer such questions.
Sitting in the front, Xia Jinyuan raised his eyebrows and frowned. The history of the development of military training for students... That was a bit far-fetched. I’m afraid the little fox wouldn’t have the answer for that.
Just as he wanted to say a few words, he heard Ye Jian’s gentle and serious response, “Our country issued the Military Service Law in July 1955. It was made legal that there would be military training for university and high school students, and in winter that year, the Beijing Institute of Higher Education started the first-ever military training. However, because of the chaotic period in the 1970s, it was stopped temporarily.”
“After the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, our country’s political and economic situation turned for the better, and it was an opportune time for the student’s military training to be carried out. In 1981, military training was included in the teaching plan, and some schools resumed military training.”
“The new Military Service Law was passed and issued in the 2nd Session of the 6th National People’s Congress in 1984, which listed military training for universities and high schools as a single chapter. Since then, such military training continued to expand, and last year, it has reached 157 educational institutions.”
“Universities in the Southern Province started the military training in 1988, but this is the first time for high school students. From this, we can see the importance that the country attaches to these training, and from this military training, we can see the amount of investment the country has put in for these.”
Ye Jian was used to speaking with facts and data, which was more eloquent and organized. For military personnel, speaking with facts and data was the most rigorous thing.
“Our country started rather late with military training. Overseas, whether it be a peaceful country or one that is in constant war, they all attach great importance to student military training.”